ANGOLA.

Angolan refugees flee to Zambia

Renewed fighting in the past nine months has led to a sharp increase in Angolans seeking refuge in Zambia. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on 5 September reported that the majority of the 30,000 new refugees would be transferred to the Meheba refugee settlement located near Solwezi in the North-Western Province. The Meheba settlement, covering an area of 729 square kilometres, was recently extended by another 100 square kilometres to accommodate the new arrivals who have been allocated a plot of land and farming materials. The camp currently holds close to 40,000 people, some of whom have been there since 1971. Zambia is hosting more than 220,000 refugees, primarily from Angola. As a result of the long-running civil war, there are approximately 2.65 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Angola, or 20 per cent of the population. Huambo has one of the highest levels of displaced people in the country, with over 325,000 IDPs.